Rutherford County, TN

Rutherford County Running the Biotech Race

Five miles southeast of Nashville in Rutherford County, TN, lies the specialty pharmaceutical distribution center of Cardinal Health, exclusive supplier for the nation's largest oncology physician management company and a division of the Fortune 500’s 17th largest company.

The company’s selection of Rutherford County, TN, is consistent with national rankings that cite the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro MSA as 21st overall by U.S. Biotech’s Top 40 locations for biotechnology companies, including life sciences and pharmaceuticals. The Nashville area is widely recognized as the healthcare services industry capital and well-known for nurturing entrepreneurial, innovative healthcare companies.

Rutherford County is the fastest growing county in Tennessee, which has long been considered one of the South’s friendliest states to business. The county is situated on Interstate 24 between Nashville and Chattanooga on a direct route from Chicago and St. Louis to Atlanta with quick access to Interstates 65 and 40; only a day’s drive to 75 percent of the nation’s major markets.

With no state income tax, a choice central location, a plentiful supply of highly educated adults (more than 35,000 leave the County daily to work), abundant affordable housing and a strong education system, companies are choosing to locate in Rutherford County. The community is home to the state’s largest public undergraduate university, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), an educational leader in the biotech field, offers advances in life science diagnostics and therapeutics. MTSU provides an excellent pool of employee prospects for biotech companies with both undergraduate and specialized graduate degrees in the field. It is the lead university in the Partners for Innovation (PFI) program, which launched the Biotechnology Research Group (BRG). The BRG is a consortium of institutions, hospitals, universities and individuals in the middle Tennessee area. The BRG promotes biotechnology education at all levels and increasing scientific knowledge through the development and use of biotechnology tools and applications.

Located between Chattanooga and Nashville, the area’s central location allows it to participate in the approximately $580 million Tennessee receives annually in external funding for biotech-related research and development.

Bioventures, Inc., located in Murfreesboro, TN, is a research leader and provider of DNA analysis and other biochemical products. It has 24 international distributors for its product line, and is an active partner in the BRG, providing internships and “real world” opportunities for new graduates and seasoned practitioners.

The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce Economic Development team is currently spear-heading a new organization, Middle Tennessee Technology Corridor, aimed at working with existing life science companies and recruiting additional companies to take advantage of the abundant resources offered in the area. Partnerships within organization include Middle Tennessee State University, Vanderbilt University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee Technology University, University of Tennessee Space Institute and private companies such as BioMimetic and BioVentures.

Under development in Murfreesboro is the Nashville area’s most exciting new business center, the Murfreesboro Gateway, with 400 acres of master-planned development, with exclusive restrictions, covenants and 500,000 square feet of Class A office space underway.

La Vergne, TN is home to the largest industrial park in the state as well as such international companies such as Bridgestone, Ingram Books, Ingram Entertainment, Borders Group, Hollywood Video, Nokian Tires, United Stationers, Quality Industries, Thompson Machinery, Square D and Whirlpool Corporation. Seven miles away is Nashville International Airport and just two miles away is the Smyrna Airport and Business Park, which is attracting a large number of office and retail businesses.

Rutherford County, Tennessee: a centrally located crossroads, where life meets science through research, study, innovation, product development and distribution. For more information call Holly Sears, Director of Economic Development, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce,1-800-716-7560 or hsears@rutherfordchamber.org or www.rutherfordchamber.org/ed.